Makana

Delicious poke’s. Both tuna and salmon were super fresh, rice was on point and sides were great. The portion is perfect for lunch and the place is cozy. We’ve also tried the pineapple tea and it was a great refreshing pairing. Pokes are around 15$ and definitely worth it!

I like the ambience of this place. It’s humble, the natural light is nice, and the mural of Makana is quite tasteful. What was not tasteful, however, was the food. I ordered their loco moco. When I first got it, I was confused as to why there wasn’t gravy on the dish. Then, I opened up the burger patty and saw that it was still raw inside, but charred on the outside. I didn’t want to keep on eating it, so I asked the waitress if me and my friend could get another one that was cooked (we ordered the same thing). She saw the mistake and took the initiative to correct it with the kitchen. When she returned the dishes to the kitchen, I heard one of the kitchen staff blatantly say “this is fine, they don’t know what they’re talking about”. My friends and I were seated by the kitchen door, and to hear that was quite disappointing, because I know what raw meat looks like. A few minutes later, the new loco moco dishes came out. Everything was over cooked, and it simply was not a good dish. At least they added the gravy. As someone who’s eaten many a loco moco in the past, this is not an authentic representation of it. The fish tacos and spam musubi were fine. However, it was missing seasoning and acidity, crucial elements that make up Hawaiian cuisine. I would not recommend eating here. The quality of the food needs improvement, and the price simply does not reflect it.

I had the Makana combo of short ribs & bbq pork. Let me tell you it was f ING amazing!!! Tad and just a tad bit sweet on the rib and pork but other than its crispy got a little burntness to it that I like. The Spam Masubi was also amazing. Tacos are killer!!

This is my first time trying Hawaiian food in New York, lol! I had Hawaiian food in Oahu, Hawaii and it was delicious! I had the Roasted slow cooked pig meal for $11 such went up in price due to covid but the food tasted great! I'll definitely go neck there again.

My go to for all good Hawaiian foods. I love this place. Not only do they always greet you with a smile, their food is always fresh and ready fast. We just got catering here too and it was more than enough food. I love it at Makana.

The food was good, though a little dry for my tastes. Get one of the barbecue chicken dishes. The sweet teas are excellent. If you want Hawaiian food in NYC, this isn't a bad option.

Pleasant little Hawaiian restaurant, lots of plants make for a warm interior. It’s small but I think they do mostly takeout business. I used to stop here for takeout while my dad was in occupational therapy up the street. My memory of those meals is that they were better than my recent lunch. We had the loco moco, very tasty. My huli chicken was kinda overcooked, dry and not as scrumptious as I remembered, still pretty tasty though. I’ll give it another try. Side note, you guys are using a lot of plastic. Please do better. I know it’s difficult but it bothered us to see so much plastic waste. Mahalo!

Poke is great, I didn’t see that much other Hawaiian food though. Service was good too. There’s only a couple of tables so plan ahead if your idea is to dine in. Price is fair and food was was prepared fairly quickly.

**perspective of Take out and delivery only** If you've ever watched any of the food channel shows, Hawaiian food like Poke or Loco Moco figure prominently. I have to say besides Poke, I could take or leave. My husband OTOH was literally obsessed with Loco Moco. I had no clue NYC had any Hawaiian bbq places, but I walked past this place one day, saw they had loco loco on the menu...and let's just say it was magic! So I have to say I'm just okay with loco Moco, but my husband loved it so much we've gotten it several times. Splurge the extra $1 for garlic rice. Just trust me on that one. I've gotten the shrimp teriyaki a few times, and it's great. Surprisingly I haven't gotten the poke yet! But I'm sure I will one day. It's become a go to when we can't decide what to eat. The delivery had always been quick and easy!

I absolutely love this place! When I was sick in bed, this place was my lifeline for takeout. First and foremost, the food. The highlight for me has to be their Loco Moco. The Loco Moco boasts a perfect blend of juicy meat, rich gravy, and a sunny-side-up egg that oozes perfection. One thing that keeps me coming back, besides the food itself, is efficient service. Every time I've ordered takeout, my order is ready for pickup/delivery without any hiccups. While I can't vouch for the in-person ambiance since I've only experienced takeout, the consistent efficiency of their service speaks volumes about their dedication to customer satisfaction. Portions are another strong suit here. The amount of food is extremely fair and it is well packaged (Oftentimes, I can stretch singular dishes into more than one meal). No leaks, no mess, just a neatly packed meal that arrives in perfect condition. Plus, they always manage to stick to the promised delivery time, which is quite impressive.

My husband and I were looking for a quick lunch spot in our neighborhood that we could swing by before he dropped me off at the airport for a trip. I was craving something fresh so we stopped by Makana! I had wanted Poke, but it was not on their lunch menu, so I went with the flame grilled tofu instead. The tofu was flavored really well and I enjoyed it! The bowl itself was a little boring, with just corn and rice. But overall was satisfied with the lunch- the portions were great. I felt satisfied but not too stuffed. Perfect for lunch. My husband got the plantation iced tea and when I tell you it was the best tea ever, I am not exaggerating. I would walk the four blocks to this place just for the tea! The ambiance was nice too. It's a bit pricey, but I've come to expect that living in the city. This was a nice lunch spot. When I'm eating meat again, I'll come back to try the actual BBQ!

Food was good but like others have said, it is definitely not authentic. The Huli chicken was basically just teriyaki chicken and the corn looked very old and gross. They had the Hawaiian canned drinks but the price for one was astonishing ($3.27 after tax).

Highly recommend Makana BBQ & Poke! We had takeout and it was delicious. We had the short rib bbq and a noodle special. Their takeout was well-packaged, the food was really fresh and good portions too! Can't wait to try more on the menu.

Wonderful Hawaiian food with fast service and friendly staff! Don't be put off by the simplistic presentation and disposable containers (though perhaps not the best for the environment), the food is delicious and there is a great variety of options. Many dishes tend to be on the sweeter side, but you can choose to add less sauce based on your preferences. Accompaniments of macaroni salad and corn are very fitting and really bring the meal together into a cohesive delight of fast Hawaiian dining.

A friend and I came across Makana by chance and decided to try it out. I had the Kalua Pig and my friend had the Teriyaki Chicken with a side of mac salad. My serving was tasty, though a bit dry. My friend's serving was small for the price, and I wouldn't recommend the mac salad, as it was fairly flavorless and texture-wise seemed congealed. Our experience overall wasn't bad, but in light of the many restaurants in the area, it certainly didn't stand out.

I absolutely love Makana BBQ & Poke. While the food is very delicious, the restaurant's delivery services are unparalleled to other places in the area. In the two years that I have been ordering from Makana (primarily through Grubhub), the food always has arrived within or even before its delivery window. I primarily order the restaurant's poke bowls, sushi rolls, and tacos. I gotta say that I have not been disappointed with anything from Makana. *Hopefully, I am not jinxing myself.* Overall, the food prices are pretty reasonable; however, they have started adding a delivery fee, but this fee is not too aggressive. It's kind of interesting that this is a Hawaiian spot, and I have yet to order a Loco Moco. Maybe I'll order one from my next treat from Makana. Hopefully, this place will stick around for some time.

Mahalo, Makana. They brought Hawaii to NYC. Spam musubi is my guilty pleasure. Loco Moco tasted like I'm back on the island. Nice place for comfort food.

We orded Ribs and Huli Chicken BBQ Meal which is a family size meal. It came with a side of corn which was the first time in my life I saw corn that was almost gray. It tasted awful and not fresh. The next side was a macaroni salad without an ounce of seasoning and drenched in some overly sweet sauce. It was extremely unappetizing. The third side was slaw which was the only thing I could eat out of the entire meal. The chicken wad dryer than the California wildfire and each piece of rib was bone and a big piece of cartilage sticking to it and if you're lucky a thin strip of overcooked and overly salty beef was attached to it. A normal size healthy man like my husband needed to eat 50-60 of those to feel full! There was a lot of rice compared to the little meat we got and had randomly soy sauce spread all over it which tasted awkward. I simply don't understand the glowing reviews.

This place has good food but bad service they never answer the phone, and this isn't the first time this is like the 7th or 8th time on separate days. so it's either you walk in or order online or else they ignore you completely I know I've called 6 times today back to back.

Makana is another spot that we frequently order from at work, they offer affordable bowls that are just the right portion size to make you feel satisfied but not bloated. I ordered the bbq huli chicken with garlic rice and it was pretty good. The chicken was flavorful and featured a sweet sauce that reminded me of teriyaki but tasted slightly different. I found the rice a little boring but it served its purpose. Overall not a bad meal if you want to give hawaiian food a try.

3 because tonkatsu shouldn't be accompanied by hoisin sauce. It's bulldog or lemon juice or mustard. I know that Hawaiian cuisine is many times a fusion of cultures, but hoisin sauce doesn't go well with this dish and I've never seen it offered anywhere. Also I was disappointed with the loco moko. Gravy should be smothered on top. Hopefully they can fix these issues.

I was so happy to stumble upon a Hawaiian place in the concrete jungle. The food was delicious and loved the vibe ! Mahalo

We ordered takeout the loco moco, some sushi, and katsu. The beef patty didn't have much flavor at all, but we enjoyed the fried chicken. It's a nice local spot for a quick bite, but we weren't too impressed with the food. Next time, we'll have to go back for the poke which seems to be well reviewed.

Get the Kalua pig tacos, it's the best pulled pork I've had in the area. I like to be able to compare pork at different places for a baseline. I also make decent pulled pork. So, when I go out I am disappointed when I can make something better than a restaurant. That happens at most places in the area. Not at this place. The pork was amazing, super juicy and a great portion size. TLDR: This pork was amazing! Rest of the menu was okay, but as I said get the Kalua Pork Tacos!!!!

Good food everytime I've eaten here! The coconut shrimp is great, chicken katsu is super tasty. Sushi is pretty good

This review is for a delivery order through grubhub. The food arrived in a timely fashion and hot (for the dishes that are supposed to be hot) ! We ordered: The Ocean Bowl, BBQ pork w/garlic rice and Kalua Pig w/garlic rice. ALL were absolutely delicious. The meat was tender and flavorful, the poke was fresh. Happy I chose to spend extra $1 for the garlic rice, it was tasty and paired perfectly with the meat. Good serving sizes. My husband and I split the 3 dishes to taste a little of everything.... all the food filled a FULL plate and a generous third each. I know the macaroni salad is a free inclusion with the bbq and kalua but do wish the portion size was bigger. I would even pay to have it as a bigger side option, but don't think that was an option on grubhub? We will absolutely order again!! We would go and dine in, but from the pictures looks like a pretty small location and walking wise we are about 30 blocks away. I regret forgetting to take pictures of the food. Next time!

Near Columbia University and has a student discount of 10% off I believe! I came here for the spam musabi and my friend was craving sushi-- both of us (and our wallets) were satisfied Spam Musabi: 6/10. I LOVE SPAM, so was not disappointed. The rice had a sauce in it so it was very flavorful and of course the spam was juicy and salty. The seaweed just just chewy and it was difficult to bite because of this Sushi: Quality was above cafeteria/takeout sushi, but still along those lines. 3/10 Came with a miso soup which was deliciously warming on this cold day. Would come again to fill my spam musabi craving

I happened to be in the area with my sister and we were looking for a spot to have lunch. She spotted Makana from across the street. I was a little weary because the sign said BBQ, Poke and Tacos because that a combination I typically don't see. It's a small spot and the staff was very friendly. My sister got the Hamachi Poki Bowl and I got the Ocean. Both were very good. We shared an order of fish tacos and those were great. When we left we ended up getting an order of the coconut shrimp to go for our mom. Overall this is a great neighborhood spot and would definitely eat there again.

I just moved from dc to nyc. There aren't a lot of poke options back home but all of them were better than the ahi tuna poke bowl (with garlic rice) I had here. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't something I would want to pay for. I'll just have to keep looking for a poke spot.

This place is SO overpriced, but sometimes the food is good so I order every now and again. Today I received a delivery of ICE COLD miso soup, and 2 sushi rolls that were completely slopped together and had NO rice on them. They refused me a refund for the sushi, which is not a lot to ask. Absolutely ridiculous. Just lost a customer.

This is a new restaurant in town and it is really cute! We've never had went to a Hawaiian restaurant before but was craving Poke so we got the Ahi Tuna Bowl. It has sushi grade tuna marinated with seasoned with Hawaiian sea salt, shoyu, sesame oil and onion. Premium grade sushi rice. Comes with seaweed salad, edamame and crab salad. It is the Hawaiian style poke and it is delicious

I wanted to be mad at Makana, but it's difficult. For starters, I had to take off a star because the prices on the menus behind the register do NOT reflect the actual price of the meal! My Ahi Tuna bowl was listed as $12.95 but came out as a little over $15. I think the takeout menu is correct, but beware the hanging menu. Secondly, the (actual) price is totally outrageous for what you get. I have been to build-your-own-bowl poke places that load you with super generous portions, with a lot more variety, and can get a meal for closer to $11. Why three stars? Well, the food WAS good. The ahi tuna chunks were sizeable and definitely delicious. In fairness, I think that was the best quality fish I've eaten from a poke restaurant. I liked the lemon slice addition; it tasted great spritzed over the fish and rice. The seaweed salad had a great flavor, and the edamame and crab salad were also good. I did feel like there was not enough rice with the meal, but I guess that's the least important part anyway. The packaging was also very nice, easy to carry home with no leaks!

If you're from Hawaii and trying to find food from back home this is your best bet ong. It's a little odd but if you just need something somewhat accurate try here. I mean they nailed a loco moco and being a big island girl, im safe to say very happy haha. Service is pretty good, server lady was nice enough! Ambiance is nice and peaceful, the restaurant is small and homey. All around a good place!

I biked pass the restaurant and was drawn by the Hawaiian Huli chicken advertisement as well as the discount with valid educator or student ID. I got the huli chicken and what an utter disappointment. The chicken pieces were tough, overcooked, chunky and tasted like teriyaki chicken. The sauce was in fact teriyaki sauce. The corn looked old and sad and a side of macaroni cheese seemed just as bad. I couldn't be more disappointed by this highly anticipated huli huli chicken experience on the UWS/Harlem nexus. Why o why? Google huli chicken and weep. And oh, no discount is available with valid ID, don't try!

Usually Makana is excellent. However when I recently ordered the garlic shrimp bowl (delivery), instead of the usual pink juicy garlic prawns they were horrible gray color and felt and tasted like cardboard. I don't what happened but they literally were inedible. Be careful with those prawn bowls. They are also small for the price, I get the salad base and though pricey it's never enough food. The fish tacos are pretty good though smothered in way to much sauce. The sushi is good.

Loco moco is always a hit here. Filling and generous and the eggs are always a perfect sunny side up with a runny yolk. Friendly service as always too, food is always ready at the perfect time.

I recently ordered from this restaurant and let me tell you it is 5 star maybe 6! They have stepped up the quality of their food. I got the spam musubi and they have grilled portabellos as one of their rice bowls. I added a fried egg and avocado and it was so good and super filling! The food was so flavorful and delivery came super early! If you can, please support your local business and order from this establishment if you are feeling a poke bowl, sushi, or a rice bowl.

An order-at-the-counter joint, Makana specializes in Hawaiian food. However their menu is so long and extensive, it makes you wonder if any one of their dishes could really be all that good. Options include poke bowls, sushi, noodle/rice dishes, and the list goes on. My friend and I settled on poke bowls - tuna and salmon- and they were delivered to our table in under five minutes. This alarmingly fast delivery again makes you question the freshness of the foods. The poke bowls were standard with the fish, edamame, seaweed salad, and a crab salad atop a bed of rice. They were basic and not bad - although I can't say they were high quality. A perfect place if you want to satisfy a poke bowl craving, but not the place to go if you want more high quality food or a nice sit-down restaurant.

Makana is my daughter's favorite spot in the city. She has shared her love for their spam sushi in such detail, that I felt as though I had already tried it myself. Earlier this week, we were both starving and near the 1 train, guess where we ended up? My first impression was that this was a very cute space. There was adequate air conditioning AND a very big lemon and ice water dispenser with cups out for the taking. Thanks!!!! I pored over the menu and ended up with coconut shrimp and three classic sushi rolls. My daughter ordered the spam sushi (although it's not called spam sushi) and a very nice tropical tea drink with fresh crushed pineapple. I enjoyed everything I ordered. The coconut shrimp were particularly great! I also got to sample the spam dish-YUM! My daughter told me to try their BBQ offerings next time, which I will definitely do!

Makana really takes me back to the feel of Hawaii. I have had their Loco Moco, short ribs, BBQ chicken and spam musubis and all tasted great. I love the macaroni salad that is served with each entree. Their sushi rolls are also very good quality - I've tried the salmon roll, tuna roll, eel avocado, coconut shrimp roll, etc., and enjoyed all of them. My boyfriend loves their plantation iced tea. It is a pretty sweet beverage, but refreshing. Mahalo!

I've ordered the poke bowl from Makana several times and thoroughly enjoyed. Today i met Heather H. at their 106th Street location for a summertime luau. Pulled pork nachos, sweet chicken sliders, spam musubi, and poke topped cucumber slices were just a few of the treats. I came in hot from walking in 90 degree weather and cooled down with a refreshing spiked drink. It was a perfect way to enjoy a hot Sunday afternoon! I will expand my food choices in the future when I get food from Makana!!

Its really upsetting I have to give this place one star, but the food just didn't taste good. The ambiance is very chill they have some nice island Bob Marley music playing in the back, and the actual restaurant is very bright and colorful. The staff was very sweet and nice. Service was excellent, the only issue was that the food was really not appetizing. I got the BBQ chicken which ended up having not a single strong note of bbq flavor, and the macaroni salad that it came with was just in-edible. The salad was good and so was the white rice but the chicken was fatty and I ended up leaving food behind, which I hate to do. The mango bubble tea tasted medicinal, I'm not sure how, but It was just bad. My friends coconut bubble tea tasted much better, but still not great. I would definitley not return, probably one of the worst bbq chickens Ive ever had.

Makana is right down the block from me, so as someone who just got back from Hawaii I should be all over this place. I loved the food in Hawaii. They have Hawaiian beers. There's a lot to like, but my only previous experience was mixed. My (now) wife and I got chicken teriyaki via Seamless. It wasn't anything mind blowing and it was overpriced, but the food was fine. Today I went in for a take out order. First they left out half my order. Upon returning, they gave me the wrong food. I walked halfway down the block to discover it was wrong, and then returned to walk the sushi chef who got the order wrong in the first place make several other orders before mine (FYI there were only 2 people in there). He again makes the order wrong (I order tuna, they gave salmon), after which I just ask for a tuna order he had just made and got out of there. The cashier and manager were genuinely apologetic about the whole thing, whereas the sushi chef was standoffish. Food wasn't bad but it also wasn't worth the BS. Nice people and their food is alright, but they need to get their act together before I'd become a regular customer. If you order from here, get it on Seamless and double check your order when you grab it.

I'd give them 2.5 stars if allowed. The fish isn't fresh enough to justify pricey menu. Go to hula poke for an extra scoop of protein for a dollar cheaper. And don't order sushi from this place either...

really liked this place!! super happy they had bathrooms unlike some other restaurants in this area. food came quickly and service was good. friendly staff and good prices

Pictured: Short ribs w/ extra meat. Presentation: 5 Taste: 4. Meat is not as charred or thoroughly cooked as I'd like for short-ribs. Rice is very well cooked, however. Salad is fresh. Macaroni tastes great. Amount of food: 3. I specifically chose and paid more for extra meat and I definitely did not receive a sufficient amount to justify the cost. About 6 ozs of meat total. Timelines of delivery: 5. 30 minutes at my door from the moment I pressed 'order'. Price: 3. too expensive

Ordered the chicken lunch bowl. It was $10 and very underwhelming. White rice, canned corn, and a chopped chicken tight. Soy sauce in the side and a strange macaroni salad on the side. I mean, the marketing brought me in, but it's just not anything I'd ever order again in NYC.

Hired Makana for a last minute catering job and they came through! The delivery service was fantastic, customer service was outstanding and the food was amazing! Items ordered: fish tacos, pork and pineapple skewers, BBQ chicken, shrimp fried rice and macaroni salad

First off, like all the other reviews, my biggest issue with this restaurant was the price. Over $15 for a small bowl and a tiny sauce cup size of macaroni salad... it's tiny portions with high prices. However, on the plus side, it's one of the few places in NYC where you can get Hawaiian BBQ. I ordered the BBQ chicken and Kalbi. Chicken was good and lots of flavor, but the texture was a little off. Felt a little springy, probably been frozen a little too long. The Kalbi was almost all fat. Overall, decent food but unbelievably overpriced and low quality meats.

I was around the area and needed a hardy lunch before heading to work, of course yelp found me the best place! The place has a bright orange interior and very lively with high seating for people to dine in. Didn't feel like I was in NYC bring in here. Must have: Loco moco: -Had this in Hawaii and must say that this place is on point with this dish! The patty was juicy and smothered with delicious mushroom sauce that was made perfect. Portions were pretty decent, filled me up and prepped for work. They also gave a side of macaroni salad, which was ok. Service: for take out, they were pretty fast, didn't wait for too long. I did notice that during lunch, they have a lot of orders togo. Price wise, it's not too bad...lunch is a great deal and about $2 more for dinner. Overall: will go back if around the area, just wish there was another closer to lower Manhattan.

Been ordering from here for a couple of years. Quality is consistently good. A solid choice in the neighborhood. My favorites: Pork Belly tacos. Add avocado. Fish tacos. Crispy. Slaw and Avocado Loaded Tater tots. Everything on it. Plantation Iced Tea. I highly recommend all of the above

So happy I can have Hawaiian in Harlem. It's like I live in California again! The food is ridiculously delicious and portions (in my experience are generous). Their poke bowls are simple and delicious (Hawaiian style, without a crazy amount of toppings). We also got 2 pork tacos for $7 which was overflowing with mouth watering meat, light cabbage slaw and some heavenly aioli. I normally don't praise $3-4 tacos but it was like eating 4 tacos worth! Interior is super trendy, clean and with plenty of seating. I can't wait to eat there again.

We came here last week for a little taste of home and they did not disappoint. The spam musubi was so good and warm and the chicken katsu was also delicious. The food came with mac salad that was to die for, I honestly wish it came with more lol. can't wait until we're able to dine inside.

Not impressed. I tried some chicken tacos and some pork tacos. The pork was EXTREMELY fatty, like more than half my taco meat was fat. On the chicken, I hit a really big, weird chunk of what felt like tendon or something. It made an audible sound as a crunched into it. On top of that, the chicken tasted like cheap Costco frozen chicken. Flavor was just weird. I will say the service was very friendly and the environment was (mostly) nice. But also, there was a dab of some kind of sauce in my "clean" table and cold air was bleeding through the facade. And I hate blow dryers in the bathroom, but that's a nitpick.

Really wanted to like this place cause there's not that many Hawaiian places in NYC but everything tasted bland and dry. The short rib was so chewy/hard to the point where I straight up couldn't eat it. And It was just dry rice paired with dry corn as a side, not a very interesting flavor profile. Even the pork on my tater tots tasted like not even salt was put on it. I think they could benefit a lot from offering some kind of sauce / stew with their rice-based entrees.

Wow. I love this place. The BBQ short ribs remind me of Korean short ribs--so good. What was even better was the loaded tater tots with pulled pork (I believe). It is seriously worth it. You can never go wrong with Hawaiian comfort food!

So far, so good. Have only tried a few dishes as of now but I'm interested in returning from what I have encountered so far. Pretty, minimalist decor with an immaculate and spacious bathroom. When entering you place your order at the counter and seat yourself. Not crazy about that but I do like that they offer self serve water and a no pressure dining experience. Dining room is small so not too hard to mess up with delivering orders. Not where I'd take anyone for a special event but good for a daily meal. Flavors are spot on and presentation of dishes is adequate. While there it seems a lot of their business comes from delivery, as opposed to dining in, service.